Of Picnics and Chick Flicks
by shadowblade-tara
Summary: On one of those rare off days, Morgan, Reid, and Garcia decide to enjoy their time with each other. Giftfic for cardcaptor eternity.


Criminal Minds © CBS.

AN: Giftfic for cardcaptor eternity! I hope you like it! I hope everyone else likes it too.

**Of Picnics and Chick Flicks**

It was one of those rare days where the BAU actually had time off. Hotch had vanished to spend time with his family, Rossi had gone home to work on a book he was writing, and JJ and Prentiss decided to spend the day together at a spa.

Morgan, Reid, and Garcia decided to spend the day together in their usual unconventional way.

The park was beautiful. It was sunny and cool. Garcia spread out a black tablecloth with bright pink flowers on it. Morgan brought bar-b-que sandwiches. Reid brought potato salad and biscuits. Garcia set up her iPod deck, letting a rather eclectic selection of music play softly in the background. There were children playing around them, laughter and random snippets of happy conversations winding around them and keeping their own conversation from turning to darker things.

"Reid, sweetie, you have sauce on your mouth." Garcia handed him a napkin. "Unless you want me to lick it off?" she added with a mischievous grin.

Normally, Reid would have blushed and just taken the napkin, but here and today he felt a little braver. "Not in front of Morgan. We all know how jealous he gets." he retorted gamely, taking the napkin and wiping his face with it.

Morgan laughed. "Wait – let me get a camera!"

"No one will believe it's not photoshopped." Reid pointed out with a grin. "I'm the shy one, remember?"

"Only because they don't hang out with us on days like this." Garcia laughed. "My junior g-man is growing up!" She reached out and hugged him. Morgan just laughed as Reid protested loudly, but grinning just the same.

There were other families there, with young kids and teenagers and a few random couples enjoying some time together, and Morgan felt content. They had left their cell phones at their respective apartments, just like they always did on days like this, and the ugly world of their jobs could not touch them. For a while, they had peace.

Somehow, after eating sandwiches and potato salad until it was coming out of their ears, Garcia and Reid started chasing each other around the tablecloth. Morgan just shook his head and rolled into a crouch. Reid was normally a very fast runner, but he was staying just far enough ahead of Garcia to avoid getting caught. When they circled back around Morgan, he launched forward and knocked Reid off his feet. Reid hit the ground with an oomph!

"That's cheating!" he laughed.

"Nah, this is cheating." Morgan pinned one of his arms and started tickling his side. "Garcia! Get him!"

From across the park, Hotchner and Jack watched the three play while Haley got them drinks. Haley returned and followed the direction of her husband's gaze. She laughed. "Are they part of your team?" she asked.

"Yeah." Hotch grinned. "They're the best."

"Looks like they're having too much fun." Haley grinned.

"Daddy, can I go play with them?" Jack asked, looking up at Hotch. Hotch considered his three agents for a moment, then shook his head.

"Maybe later. Let's let them have their fun today, okay?"

"Okay!"

They left the park without Reid, Morgan, and Garcia being any the wiser.

/-/

"I don't understand why she likes watching those things." Reid said with a grin. "I mean, it's a completely unrealistic expectation of how a relationship should be."

"I think that's why she watches them, Reid." Morgan laughed. "We don't watch films to be informed – well, not normally at any rate." He sat down on his couch beside Reid. Garcia had already gone to sleep in one of his spare rooms.

Morgan had a three bedroom apartment. One room was his. The other two were specifically for Reid and Garcia to use, and they were set up accordingly. He had had numerous offers from friends outside the FBI to move in with him, if he wanted, and he had politely decline them all. No one else knew about his occasional houseguests. That was his secret to keep.

Reid grinned at him. "Which is why I like watching horror movies. I know those aren't realistic in the least." He looked up at his friend. "Do you have it?"

"Yeah, I have it." Morgan laughed. "Why you like this movie – "

"I'm trying to figure out the last five minutes." Reid took the DVD from him and put it in the player. "It's like the producers forgot the plot and decided to put in a moral or something."

"Considering that it's been made by a foreign monster rock band, it's no wonder." Morgan laughed. "The costumes look retarded."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not watching it for the monsters." Reid pointed out with a grin.

They settled in to watch the movie. It took about thirty minutes for the worst to happen.

Garcia's cries brought them from the movie. They both darted down the hall to Garcia's room. The young woman was sitting straight up in the bed, sheets twisted around her, tears streaking her face. She was sniffling. Morgan's expression softened. "Nightmares again?"

"Yeah." She offered a smile. "I'm okay now."

Morgan and Reid exchanged looks before approaching the bed together. They curled up on either side of Garcia, coaxing the woman to lay back down. She made a small noise of protest. "I can sleep by myself, you know – I'm a big girl. I can tie my own shoes and everything."

Reid smiled. "It wouldn't be the first time. Just go back to sleep. We'll be here in the morning."

Garcia nodded and snuggled in between her two boys. Morgan and Reid simply exchanged smiles before settling into sleep themselves, guarding their friend against her nightmares, just as she guarded them against theirs.

**The End**

AN: I cannot believe this took me so long to write! Oh well, I hope you guys enjoyed this bit of pointless fluff.


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